The first case of foot-and-mouth disease in the Colchester area has been confirmed - on the same day a mid-Essex open farm centre began slaughtering its infected animals.

MAFF veterinary surgeons confirmed the worst fears today (Friday) after taking samples from animals at Wick Farm, Layer de la Haye, a village just outside the town.

The discovery means more than 1,000 animals at the farm will now have to be slaughtered and incinerated as soon as possible in a bid to stop the spread of the disease.

For more information on the Marsh Farm outbreak in Woodham, see the article: 'Woodham: Cull of livestock at country park' in the drop-down menu at the bottom of this page

See our special section on foot and mouth disease and how it affects Essex on our sister site, Business In Essex It brings the total of cases detected in Essex up to eight but it is still unclear how the disease was brought to the farm in the first place.

Restrictions on the movement of livestock have been imposed on farms within 8km of Wick Farm and checks are already being carried out at farms within a 3km radius of Wick Farm to make sure it has not spread.

Brian Finnerty, regional spokesman for the National Farmers Union, said the news was a further blow for farmers in the area.

For more on this story, including pictures and an opinion survey see Monday's Evening Gazette

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